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Zvamaida Murwira in Victoria Falls
Civil servants will this year get their annual bonus without any hassles with Government, through Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa, already mobilising resources towards the payment which is usually staggered between November and December.
Minister Chinamasa yesterday told Members of Parliament attending a pre-budget consultative conference here that the 13th cheque would be paid despite Government collecting little revenue.
“My biggest headache at the moment is to mobilise resources not only to pay salaries, but bonuses because our revenue collection has been below target,” Minister Chinamasa said.
He said up to September they received revenue of US$2,7 billion against a target of US$2,8 billion while they were still receiving new claims of Government indebtedness that they were still examining how they were acquired and their authenticity.
Minister Chinamasa, together with Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya, told legislators that the multi-currency regime would remain until the economy stabilises.
“We will not have the local currency until we retain the fundamentals,” he said. “People’s memories are still fresh. You cannot introduce a currency which resulted in people losing their pensions, insurance and savings.”
Dr Mangudya said: “We will continue to use multi-currency until we have sufficient reserves”.
Minister Chinamasa said there was need to improve the ease of doing business by removing unnecessary Government bureaucracy.
He gave a recent example where an emissary sent by Chinese president Xi Jinping to make a feasibility study on how Beijing could construct a new Parliament Building for Zimbabwe on a grant failed because he was denied a visa.
He said the commitment by China to construct the Parliament Building was made when President Mugabe visited China where he signed several mega deals.
“I then asked them why they did not talk to me,” said Minister Chinamasa. “But again it should not be like that where you have to talk to a Government Minister for your things to be worked on. Where are the bottlenecks?”
Minister Chinamasa said the perception of people out there was that Zimbabweans were not in a hurry when engaged to do business, an indication that there was no urgency and seriousness to expeditiously deal with a business transaction that benefits the country.
Minister Chinamasa said when he assumed his portfolio, he pinned his hope on the diamond sector, but it had been a disappointment and he now placed his hope on the gold sector.
National Assembly speaker, Cde Jacob Mudenda urged legislators across the political divide to scrutinise Zim-Asset, saying it should not just be perceived as a document for those in the ruling party, Zanu-PF.
“It does not matter that you are in Zanu-PF or opposition party, you must interrogate Zim-Asset, even from whichever angle,” he said. “We want clarity of thought. Don’t be influenced by political disposition.”
Online Reporter